More bands nixed at the Lube

New Berlin — A request to add six events to a 44-evening outdoor concert schedule at Quaker Steak & Lube,4900 S. Moorland Road, was turned down on a split vote by the New Berlin Plan Commission, but the restaurant owner said he would request a reconsideration for the two events that are for charity.

One is a fundraiser for the Fisher House Foundation that is building a residence for the families of veterans who are being treated at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center. The Quaker Steak and Lube 2014 Fisher House Charity Ride is requested for Aug. 31. Live music would have been part of the event.

The other is a Trunk or Treat Kids Event that would be a food drive for the New Berlin food pantry. Cars decorated for Halloween would come to Quaker Steak & Lube and children would give a donation to the pantry and vote for their favorite, and then get a free breakfast. That event was planned for Oct. 25.

"I'm going to bring in the vets," he said last week, and the founder of the local Fisher House chapter.

The Plan Commission will meet at 6 p.m. Monday, July 7.

Both it and the Halloween event involve live or amplified music, which is why the Plan Commission narrowly turned down his original request.

While Quaker Steak made several changes to reduce the impact of its concerts on those living in a subdivision to the northwest, Mayor Dave Ament said, "The reality is there still is disturbance from this."

And with 44 concerts already approved, he said, "I think maybe that's enough for the summer and give residents in the area a little bit of a break to have some quiet time in their own yards."

Disagreeing with that assessment, Plan Commission member Marta Broge who lives in the area cast one of the two votes to add the six concerts.

"I've never heard the music," she said.

Even neighbor Scott Haag of Scot Drive who spoke against the request said the noise issue had been dealt with.

"Scott did a job to eliminate the noise factor by pointing the sound the other way," Haag said.

Still, both Ament who chairs the commission and Alderman John Fillar who represents the neighborhood and who attended the meeting, said they have received several complaints about concert noise.

In addition to the two charity events, the restaurant had asked for four events that could be such activities as classic car rides, motorcycle rides or charity events. The occasions were envisioned to possibly include live or amplified music, good, games, motorcycle or car displays and vendors.

But Haag, the only speaker at a public hearing on the request, said noise from motorcycles attending motorcycle nights rock the neighborhood. Even though the music is over at 9:30 p.m., motorcyclists roar up and down Moorland Road until midnight, he said.

"It's the motorcycles that are incredibly noisy," said Haag who didn't want to attract any more motorcycle riders to the area. "In a normal night you know Moorland how noisy that is to begin with so you add more nights, more noise."

NEXT STEP

WHAT: request for the New Berlin Plan Commission to reconsider not allowing two charity events at Quaker Steak & Lube

WHEN: 6 p.m. Monday, July 7

WHERE: New Berlin City Hall, 3805 S. Casper Drive

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